Spring
by Namesake
Summary: Days go by and little changes at the store until some woman accidentally drops a drink causing it to shatter everywhere. Why did she show such respect to Kazahaya? Now Kakei musters everyone in an attempt to save something important: their strange famil


**A/N:** here ya go! A Legal Drug ficlet that had been munching on my mind yester-week. It would have been up sooner, but the a/n at the bottom explains why.

_Italics_ are dreams/memories and mind speech. It **should **be easy enough to distinguish between the two.

* * *

**The First of Spring **

It was as normal as it got in The Green Drugstore. One boy, dirty blond hair longer on one side than the other with eyes that could only be called amber, one Kudo Kazahaya, was rejoicing after a mission well done. Another just shook his head. This boy, one Himura Rikuo, fit the description of tall, dark and handsome. Yes, he was tall, and he sported a head of dark brown hair. The calculating eyes that viewed the world were a dark green.

"Go on up to bed, boys," Kakei-san, the owner of The Green Drugstore and the employer of Kazahaya and Rikuo, urged. "You two have to open the store tomorrow." Kakei-san was slender, and barely taller than Kazahaya's slightly taller than average height.

Kazahaya looked puzzled at this. "Why do we have to open the shop?" he asked. True to his inquisitive and somewhat impulsive nature, Kazahaya asked the first few questions that popped into his mind, regardless of their viability. "What are you going to be doing?"

Kakei-san just smiled at him. "You need not concern yourself with it, Kudo-kun. Just be sure you're stocking shelves tomorrow bright and early."

Kazahaya smiled and assured Kakei that he'd do his best. Rikuo just smirked and muttered something.

"WHAT??!!" Kazahaya yelled, having only caught the tail end of it.

Saiga burst out laughing.

* * *

It wasn't common, but it was inevitable that it would happen. Someone in the drink isle of the Drugstore had dropped something in a glass bottle. The bottle, upon coming in contact with the hard linoleum floor, shattered; littering shining glass shards and sweetly scented beverage all over the isle. Kazahaya, who had been stocking potato chips across from the drinks, turned to see a lady looking at him in utter surprise. Kazahaya was just a bit confused. He looked at her, wondering what would cause such an action. The lady suddenly remembered she broke something.

"Forgive me!" She bowed low to him. Kazahaya was startled. "I'll pay for that one as well." She bowed low again, quickly grabbed another drink and walked as quickly as was polite to the front of the store to pay for two drinks. It left the youth puzzled, and slightly worried, as he mopped and swept up the mess. He didn't take the job offered him that night by Kakei, which was extremely surprising, nor did he rise to Rikuo's baiting, so uncharacteristically deep were his thoughts.

Unbeknownst to Kazahaya, the rest of the Green Drugstore was worried about his…well…normal behavior. How he was acting, polite, undisruptive, non-argumentative, **quiet**, just wasn't Kazahaya. Their worries were short lived as the next day heralded another ordinary day, greeted with the loud, yelling voice of Kazahaya as Rikuo found some new, very rude way, to wake him up.

"WHAT THE HELL RIKUO???!!!" an annoyed Kazahaya demanded of Rikuo. "Can't you just wake someone up by a NORMAL means??!"

"Where would the fun in that be?" Rikuo asked, a smooth smile forming on his face.

"Fun? FUN??!!! IT'S CRUEL!!!" the blonde roared.

"It would ruin my morning routine," Rikuo said casually, sitting down at the table, hiding a smile behind his morning paper. "It's your turn to make breakfast."

"'You're turn to make breakfast'," Kazahaya mocked as he made toast and fried eggs. Putting the finished breakfast onto plates, Kazahaya put Rikuo's next to him on the table as he sat across from the tall dark youth and ate his own.

_He _never_ even puts his paper down to eat!!_ Kazahaya continued fuming. _He's such a jerk!!! He's so rude!! _Kazahaya was viciously devouring his breakfast. The youth's sour mood followed him downstairs from the apartment he shared with Rikuo and into the store where he tied on his green apron and began stocking. Arms suddenly snaked around his waist and he was pulled against a large, hard body.

"I see you're working hard, boy," the person, who by the remark identified themselves as Saiga, quietly remarked into Kazahaya's ear.

"AIAHHHHHH!!!" Kazahaya yelled in surprise.

Saigai just laughed a hearty laugh and patted him on the shoulder. "Keep up the good work!" The tall, hulking man made his way to the back room.

Feeling eyes on him, Kazahaya turned angry amber-brown eyes to find Rikuo smiling at him. "WHAT?!" he demanded.

Rikuo just snickered and turned away.

"And why are **you** SNICKERING??!!!" Kazahaya barked.

Rikuo just shook his head. "Just keep stocking shelves."

Kazahaya seethed.

"_I love you, Kazahaya."_

Kazahaya was pulled from his anger. What the hell had that been? He was suddenly reminded of Kei. His twin would always find him, no matter where on the estate he was, usually napping. He was always with Kei…had always been with Kei. He shook his head, catching a glimpse of white out of the corner of his eye. Seeing nothing there, Kazahaya shrugged it off and began to whistle something as he continued to stock shelves.

"_Promise me."_

"I'm sorry, Kei," Kazahaya whispered as he finished stocking shelves for the day.

As Kazahaya went to sleep that night, he could have sworn he heard a familiar voice repeatedly saying, "You promised."

* * *

"Would you boys like a job?" Kakei asked the next day. 

"**Yes**!" Kazahaya shouted with joy as he, despite his enthusiasm, continued what he was doing.

"Come to my office," Kakei beckoned.

* * *

Kazahaya was running. Rikuo was behind him, but then again, when Kazahaya had caught a glimpse of the _things_, there was little in Rikuo that would interest them. Two. Two of them chased him. Everything had always been in twos. Or, thinking about it, multiples of two. He heard a tree branch break in front of him.

"Kazahaya!"

"I KNOW!!!" the blond yelled. Kazahaya jumped, much like he had when he had been chasing the cat. Except higher. His need made his jump higher.

"_You promised,_" a familiar voice spoke into his head. "_I love you, Kazahaya._"

"AHHH!" Kazahaya yelled as he gripped his head. He just barely caught the tree branch that saved his life. His head ached something fierce. Why did he hurt? He was suddenly aware that the growling had stopped. Kazahaya looked down to see two **very** dead animals. Good. He hadn't wanted to touch them. He clambered down out of the tree and met Rikuo on the ground.

"How do you run like that?"

"Huh?" Kazahaya so eloquently replied.

"How do you run just like a scared girl?" Rikuo replied with an evil smirk on his face.

"**WHY YOU SON OF A!!!**" Kazahaya began. Rikuo clamped a hand over his mouth.

"SHH!!! We're still on a job, remember?" he hissed.

"Maybe if you didn't PROVOKE me I'd be **quieter**," the smaller boy replied in a loud hiss.

"Oh, sorry. Did I rub your fur the wrong way?" Rikuo replied blithely with a shake of his hand. Before Kazahaya had a chance to reply, the shed that those creatures had been guarding came into view. To Kazahaya it looked vaguely familiar, yet he had no idea where he'd seen it. It didn't help that it was dark, and the moon was only half full and waning. The place looked unkempt as well. The roof was sagging and the structure was tilting slightly.

"So, what are we looking for again?" Kazahaya asked.

"A mirror," Rikuo asked. He gave the light-haired boy a sidelong look as both began searching the tiny building. Kakei-san had been leery about letting Kazahaya come on the mission, but he had never said why. Apparently it was dangerous, but Kakei-san had said that Kazahaya was needed to find the mirror. It was part of a series, the last one that Kakei-san needed to give to his client.

Rikuo didn't like the looks that Kazahaya was giving the room. He hadn't entered more than a few feet inside the door. Rikuo had begun searching almost immediately after he had entered, wanting to find the mirror before the small summer playhouse fell down around them. Kazahaya looked as if he were remembering something. Rikuo looked closely. His eyes were focused inward, not cloudy and unfocused like when a vision took him.

"…upstairs perhaps?" Kazahaya mumbled.

Upstairs what?

Rikuo followed Kazahaya as he dashed up the stairs, the wooden structure protesting at every step. Upstairs proved to be in a better, if somewhat similar, condition to the floor below. Again, Kazahaya took no more than a few steps away from the head of the stairs, just looking around in that thoughtful way. Rikuo just decided he'd start looking. He began looking through the drawers on a bureau in the hall.

"No, not there," Kazahaya said absently, "she never put it there."

_She?_ Rikuo thought. Was Kazahaya unknowingly channeling some wandering spirit that had attatched itself to the house?

Rikuo watched and followed Kazahaya as he approached a small vanity in the next room. He sat down on the protesting stool and looked in the mirror.

"She always sat here…" Kazahaya mumbled.

Rikuo was suddenly very aware of special instructions that Kakei-san had given him.

"Rikuo, not under any circumstance or duress must you allow Kudo-kun to touch the mirror. He is not allowed to touch it until he returns to the store, if at all."

Rikuo watched as Kazahaya suddenly opened a drawer and revealed the mirror. Panicking, Rikuo realized that the smaller youth was going to grab the mirror. Moving as fast as he could, the dark youth grabbed Kazahaya's pale hand before it could come into contact with the mirror.

"_I love you Kazahaya!"_

"It was either you or me," Kazahaya whispered as a tear fell down his cheek.

"Hey," Rikuo said as he drew his hand, and Kazahaya's away from the mirror. "You okay?"

"She always sat right here, Rikuo," Kazahaya informed him absently. "She would count 500 strokes of her brush through her hair; hair that was just like mine."

"Wha-?" Rikuo didn't have time to say more because at moment the stool broke and Kazahaya and Rikuo fell through the floor. Rikou, coughing, looked for Kazahaya. The kid's blond hair had a red stain in it, but that was the only injury he could see. Putting the mirror in a satchel, Rikuo slung Kazahaya over his shoulders and began the walk back to their suite. When he cleaned himself and Kazahaya up, he'd check them out of the spa. For right now, he needed to get their injuries to stop bleeding…and call Kakei.

* * *

_A shadow fell over him, blocking out the warm sunshine that he had been napping in. Cracking open one amber eye, Kazahaya stared up into a matching set._

"_You do know what time it is, right?" his twin asked._

"_Yes," Kazahaya replied._

"_You do know you're skipping your lesson, right?" Kei continued._

"_So are you," he replied as he resettled himself to continue his nap._

"_My name means fire, but I'm always so cold," Kei complained. "Not like you; you're always warm, Kazahaya."_

_Kazahaya looked up to see his sister shortly before his departure._

* * *

"Promise me that I'll always have my dear brother by my side."

"I'm sorry," Kazahaya mumbled. Rikuo looked down at the sleeping boy. He looked so much younger when he slept. He was slightly worried he wasn't awake yet.

* * *

"_Not yet," he mumbled. He knew he was cold, that it was cold outside, but the only opportunity he had had had already presented itself and there was no way he could escape the house _and_ retrieve his coat. Especially when his coat was in the foyer and he was leaving by a back door. His hands were shaking, but he could barely feel it. He stumbled and fell. Kazahaya wanted to get up, but his body was so heavy. _

_"I can't die yet," He repeated, blurry eyes closing. His eyelids were so warm on his cold eyes. "I want to live."_

* * *

Kazahaya opened his eyes to be greeted by the ceiling of the break room of the Green Drugstore. A blanket fell off of him. "Huh?"

"Kudo-kun! You're awake!" Kakei said as he entered the room.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Kazahaya inquired. "How did I get back here?"

"Rikuo brought you back," Kakei informed him. "You were sitting on a stool and the floor broke underneath you two. You, Kudo-kun, hit your head pretty hard."

"I almost had to perform surgery," a loud voice guffawed behind him.

"AHHHH!!" Kazahaya yelled, taken by surprise. Saiga just laughed.

"_I love you Kazahaya."_

Kazahaya's eyes opened wide.

"Remember the first of spring…" 

Kazahaya put a hand to his head. Kakei scowled. He had felt…something. The signature of the energy left behind was similar to a psychic's, similar to his, but it, for a lack of better words, tasted different. It was off.

"Why don't you take it easy for the rest of the day and tomorrow, Kudo-kun?" Kakei suggested. "You hit your head pretty hard."

"Are you sure that won't be a problem, Kakei-san?" Kazahaya asked. He felt like he was shirking his duties.

"You have a concussion," Kakei told him. "Of course it's okay, Kudo-kun. I'll come see how you're doing later."

Kazahaya nodded and retreated to the apartment he shared with Rikuo. Indeed, he felt tired. He made a mental note to ask Rikuo when the first day of spring was.

* * *

It had been a week or so after Kazahaya and Rikuo's misfortune. Kazahaya was behind the register when a lady came into the shop. She was nondescript, looking almost like any other woman that had entered the store. Rikuo was in the back. Kakei-san had called him back when Saiga had returned. The woman was looking down the aisles before turning to look at him. Wide amber eyes met narrowed brown ones. Kazahaya opened his mouth to say a greeting of some kind, manners demanded it, _she_ demanded it, but nothing seemed to want to come out.

"Well you look like you're doing well, despite your fish imitation," the woman said. "Yet you're not tainted by your power."

"What?" Kazahaya was all confused. "How did you find me?"

* * *

"So you _might_ have a lead," Rikuo said. The lead sounded shaky at best, so he _really _didn't want to get his hopes up, but it was more reliable than anything they'd had in months.

"Yeah," Saiga continued. "The girl had known her for quite some time."

"Indeed," Kakei said, "but I'm afraid that we're going to have to continue this conversation later."

"Why, Kakei?" Saiga asked. His eyes brows were in a frown above his shades.

"Because someone very powerful has entered the shop with most impure intentions," Kakei responded.

"How do you know?" Rikuo asked, getting up.

"I can't move," Kakei replied.

* * *

Kazahaya's eyes were wide with fear. He had always held a healthy amount of respect for the person in front of him. The way his cousins talked about her…her disciplinary methods left a child behaving _very_ well.

"Remember when someone dropped their drink?" she prompted. Kazahaya just looked at her. There was several times where people had accidentally dropped their drink.

"She bowed very low to you," the woman continued, "and offered to pay for both drinks." It suddenly clicked. Kazahaya had seen the woman before. She had helped watch himself and Kei when they were little. He swallowed hard before looking back at the woman.

"Ah, I see you do remember. Your dear sister, Kei-sama, has been tainted by her power, not that you care," her scowl deepened. "When you left, you took all her smiles and sunshine away. She had been shy to begin with, but you took everything, _everything_ that would have made her great."

"How is this all _my fault?!_" Kazahaya shrieked. "I was the one that heard mother and some of the relatives discussion our futures. I didn't like them, and Kei had the best chance at a good future with the family! I was thinking about _her_ future."

"So you ran away?" the woman accused. She slapped the desk, causing Kazahaya to startle. "Coward!"

"I am not a coward!" Kazahaya shouted back, eyes narrow, body angry.

The woman's eyes narrowed. Kazahaya's posture turned uncertain. Kazahaya further shrank back when she towered over him.

"Never, EVER do you use that tone of voice to speak with your elders!" She seethed at him. "Living with commoners has sure skewed your sense of manners!"

Kazahaya saw Rikuo standing half way down an aisle. He was so close. Why wasn't he coming to help him? He always came and saved him.

"Don't look to your friend for help," she told him. "I have a barrier up. The only one who ever seemed to get around those was you-" she leveled a gun at him "-and I don't intend for you to leave."

Kazahaya's eyes easily widened, this time in fear. _Kei_, he thought. _We did everything together._

Something wiggled in the back of Kazahaya's mind, causing him slight pain. He rubbed his temple.

"They say that twins have a mental connection like no other," the hated woman before him said. "I wonder if your _dear sister_ is trying to reach you."

Kazahaya moaned in pain.

"It seems you have too many mental barriers." The woman cocked her gun. "You were never meant to find that mirror. You even destroyed the ceremonial house, you inconsiderate chit!"

"I love you, Kazahaya!" 

"_I love you, too, Kei."_ Kazahaya thought. He'd never see his sister again. The pain exploded in his head.

"You're being tainted too! You're power grew! It's not possible!" the woman began shrieking. Kazahaya's power flowed around him in a sphere before settling into his skin. He opened bleary slitted eyes. "Just like hers…"

It happened so fast, Kazahaya still wasn't sure of the events. Hearing footsteps, Kazahaya had turned to see Rikuo coming. Gunshots sounded and pain. Pain exploded in his body. He stumbled back against the back wall and slid to the floor, trying to breathe through the pain. Vaguely aware, he noticed the calendar: it was the first of spring.

* * *

Saiga stayed with Kakei, both had been unable to move. When the pair heard gunshots, Saiga jumped up off the couch and stumbled out the door. Kakei still couldn't move. When the bell chimed at the door, Kakei nearly fell out of his chair. Stumbling, the slender man ran out to find his two boarders shot.

"Saiga, call an ambulance," Kakei said. He rushed to help Rikuo staunch Kazahaya's bleeding wounds. The big man ran into the back. Kakei knew he was going to speed dial their associates at the hospital. His attention was on Rikuo, who had something wrapped around his arm to try and assuage the bleeding, and Kazahaya who was bleeding something terrible.

"Kazahaya? Hey, Kazahaya, wake up!" Rikuo kept repeating as he applied pressure to Kazahaya's chest. Kakei could see that Rikuo was not himself. His tense frame was slightly shaking. Kakei could understand why. From what he knew of Tsukiko's disappearance, her room had been splattered and smeared with blood; it pooled everywhere it could. Behind the counter looked little different. Blood was smeared down the back wall where Kazahaya had slid down when his legs gave out. Blood spattered all over the counter, the floor and the wall. It was soaking into Kazahaya's clothes and apron. Kakei absently thought that he'd have to buy a new apron or have Saiga get it out.

Saiga would have a hard time getting this much blood out.

Sirens sounded outside. The ambulance had arrived. Hands started to take over where Kakei and Rikuo had been stumbling. Familiar faces took Rikuo away to treat his room as well.

"You okay, Kakei-san?" a familiar voice asked.

"I am, doctor," Kakei responded with a grim smile. He looked at his hands. "None of this is mine."

"Don't worry," the doctor responded. "We'll do our best."

"I know," Kakei responded.

* * *

Saiga emerged from the back after the ambulance had left. He carried cleaning supplies and disinfectants. He saw Kakei standing in front of the counter looking very thoughtful. He set the supplies down before hugging the smaller blond from behind.

"Something troubling you?" The large man asked.

"I was curious as to how the woman knew Kudo-kun," Kakei replied.

"The boy is going to be all right, right?" Saiga asked as he let go of his 'friend' and went to clean up the blood.

"That all depends on Kudo-kun," Kakei replied. "I've Seen several outcomes to this scenario, and it all depends on Kazahaya's actions."

Saiga just shrugged. "He said that they're keeping Rikuo overnight for his wound and shock. Kazahaya just got out of surgery when he called. They're keeping him until further notice."

Kakei just shrugged. There wasn't much they could do about the situation. He caught Saiga smiling.

"Looks like it's just going to be you and me for a while," the beshaded man said.

Kakei smiled. "Yes it does," the shorter man replied. Saiga came up and hugged him from behind. "It also means you'll have to watch the register tomorrow."

Saiga made a face.

* * *

_Kazahaya opened his eyes to see himself lounging in the sun, just like he always had. This time was slightly different. This time, there was a cat sitting next to him. He blinked, and the cat was replaced with his sister._

"_I'm so happy to see you, Kazahaya," she said softly._

"_I'm sorry," Kazahaya immediately said. _

_Kei just shook her head. "Instead of focusing on how Rikuo irks you, why don't you focus on your power? Meditate. Go through the exercises we were taught to do before bed."_

"_What? Kei, I don't understand," Kazahaya complained. He really didn't. _

"_Instead of focusing on how Rikuo irks you, focus on your power," Kei repeated. "It's grown, dear brother. Go through the exercises we were taught to do before bed."_

"_Exercises?" Kazahaya asked perplexed._

_Kei extended her hand and Kazahaya took it. _

"_Oh," Kazahaya exclaimed after his eyes cleared. "Those."_

_Kei smiled. "How long are you going to sleep, brother?" She giggled. "You've been gone a long time."_

"_Huh?" This time his twin had lost him._

"_You should wake up," she encouraged. _

"_Wha-" Kazahaya watched as the happy smile left her face._

"_Promise me I'll always have my dear brother by my side," she said._

"_I promise, Kei," Kazahaya found himself saying._

_The sun was suddenly gone. It was dark, night, but lights shone out of store windows, mocking his lack of warmth. Cold, greedy, all consuming cold ravaged his body. He was beyond shivering, in fact, he didn't even feel the cold. His light jacket would do. He hadn't expected the snow storm that came upon him when he escaped the house. _

"_Not yet," Kazahaya muttered under his breath. His exhales made his own clouds. "I can't die yet."_

"_I have to finish something…" Kazahaya muttered as he collapsed. He tried to get up, but his body wouldn't listen. He was floating suddenly. It wasn't necessarily good, but was it bad? His chilled brain couldn't decide if it was good or bad. He finally decided it wasn't good, floating in darkness as he was. _

_Wasn't something supposed to happen now? Kazahaya absently thought. Wasn't Rikuo supposed to wake him up? Where was Rikuo? _

"_Rikuo?" Kazahya tentatively called into the darkness. The darkness reminded him of the cold, which then brought up too many memories he didn't want to deal with, good and bad._

"…wake up."

'_Eh?' Kazahaya thought. 'Aren't I awake?' He felt something leave. It was okay, it would come back. But whatever had left was warm, and Kazahaya was decidedly cold. Open his eyes? They were open…or were they? Wait…_

* * *

It was a struggle, but Kazahaya soon became aware of beeping. The constant beeping, being annoying, Kazahaya was curious to know what was being annoying. He struggled; his eyelids felt like they were lead. Finally, tired amber eyes opened to see a white ceiling. He took a deep breath, or tried to. He ended up gasping halfway through from a dull ache he knew would be a sharp pain. Seeing a call button on the side of his bed, he pushed it.

* * *

"He wasn't awake yet?" the doctor asked as three familiar people walked down the hall. They were allowed to visit after hours because they ran a store, and because they were considered the boy's family.

"Unfortunately, no," Kakei informed him.

The doctor was about to say something when a nurse rushed up to him and beckoned him to bend down.

"The patient in room 924 just pressed his call button," she told him.

The doctor nodded. He looked to the group. "Follow me."

Kazahaya opened his eyes again when he heard the door open. It was easier this time to open them, yet it was still a trial. His amber eyes found Kakei-san, Rikuo and Saiga at his bedside.

"Hi," he breathily whispered to them.

"Brat, don't do stupid things like that again," Saiga informed him, scowling. Kazahaya could tell, despite the shades, that his eyes were laughing. His lips behind their oxygen mask pulled up slightly in a weak smile.

"Sorry," he replied. He blinked slowly. "I'll try not to."

Kakei-san ruffled his hair. "You've changed, Kazahaya."

Kazahaya closed his eyes. "I know."

"I knew there was something strange about you," Rikuo said. Kazahaya opened his eyes to see a smirk dancing on Rikuo's face and laughter dancing in his eyes. "Can I keep him, Kakei?"

"I don't know," Kakei replied, picking up on what Rikuo was saying.

"What?" Kazahaya asked.

"Don't get him too riled up," the doctor said as he finished examining Kazahaya's vitals. Kakei just gave him a smile. The doctor shook his head and left.

"There is 'no pets allowed' rule for your apartment," Kakei said.

"And we definitely have a cat in front of us," Saiga said.

Kazahaya scowled. Just because his power had marked him through his eyes didn't mean they could pick on him!

"I guess he can stay," Kakei told him.

* * *

Kakei managed to get Kazahaya released at the end of the week. The doctor saw nothing wrong with it as long as he didn't work and stayed laying down, reclining or sitting most of the time and someone helped him on stairs. With a pair of sunglasses on his nose, Rikuo helped Kazahaya out of the hospital and into a car in which Saiga was driving.

"Don't worry, kid," the big man said as he put the car into gear. "We'll have you home in no time."

Kazahaya nodded and drifted off to sleep.

"…up!"

"Huh?" Kazayaha blearily asked as he opened his eyes.

"We're at the store," Rikuo said irritably.

"Oh," Kazahaya said. He gave Rikuo a look over his glasses. "Why didn't you just stomp on me or throw water in my face?"

Rikuo made a face and looked to the side. "Kakei said it wouldn't help you heal."

Kazahaya smiled devilishly. "Aww, did I ruin your 'Wake Up Kazahaya In The Most Sadistic Way' routine?" He yawned.

Rikuo gave him a look.

Kazahaya scowled. "Fine, I'm coming."

Rikuo helped Kazahaya out of the car and up the stairs to their apartment where Kakei and Saiga were waiting for them.

"Rikuo, if you could please go make sure the shop is taken care of?" Kakei asked.

Rikuo nodded, depositing Kazahaya on his bed. He knew that Kakei just wanted some privacy with whatever he was going to do with Kazahaya. Despite that, he did check to make sure the door was locked. He returned to the stairs that led up to the apartment and took a seat, waiting for a sign that he could return to his abode.

* * *

"You do look better than when you first woke up, Kudo-kun," Kakei said as he waited for Kazahaya to get comfortable.

"Thank you, Kakei-san. I feel better," Kazahaya replied.

"Kid, did you know the person who shot you?" Saiga bluntly asked. Kakei gave him a look for his lack of tact.

Kazahaya's eyes widened slightly, slitted pupils narrowing with the amount of light. He abruptly looked away.

"Please, Kudo-kun," Kakei implored. "If we know who the person is, we can prevent them from coming back."

The two adults watched as Kazahaya struggled with himself. It was apparent that they, himself and Saiga, only had surface facts. Kazahaya was the one who held all the cards in the situation. They needed him to give them information.

"I'm very sorry," Kazahaya began softly, "but I can't tell you."

Kakei and Saiga were slightly startled. Kazahaya's gaze was so sad and…something. Regretful? Scared? Forlorn? It was similar to his gaze shortly after he had "unthawed" as Saiga liked to put it. He wore it for a few days before Kakei put him to work in the Drugstore. After that, Kazahaya had been all sunshine and smiles.

"Why can't you tell us, Kudo-kun?" Kakei asked.

"It's family business," Kazahaya promptly replied.

"_I love you, Kazahaya!"_

* * *

Rikuo looked up when he heard feet on the stairs. Kakei looked very thoughtful as he descended the stairs. Saiga looked…just how he always looked, if, perhaps, a bit more thoughtful.

"Did you get what you wanted?" Rikuo asked as he stood up.

Kakei was pulled from his musings. He fixed Rikuo with a look that spoke volumes. Rikuo understood, nonetheless, Kakei's unspoken message. He nodded and passed them on his way up the stairs. Entering the apartment, he saw Kazahaya sitting down at the table, breathing hard.

"Idiot!" Rikuo yelled. Kazahaya startled. "You know you're not supposed to walk around! You'll tear your stitches!"

"But I was hungry!" Kazahaya whined.

Rikuo threw a hackie-sack at Kazahaya. The smaller boy flinched at its contact with his head.

Rikuo sighed. He knew what hospital food tasted like. "What do you want?" he finally asked.

Kazahaya cheered.

* * *

"Family, huh?" Saiga said as he lounged in the bath.

"I've seen families that treat each other worse," Kakei replied. "But don't you find it strange, that if he were that high up, that they'd come and shoot him?"

"Apparently he's not useful anymore," Saiga replied as he turned to watch Kakei.

"There is more to this than we know," Kakei said. "And until we know more, I don't know how safe Kudo-kun is."

"I can ask around, but I don't think I'll get much," Saiga admitted as Kakei sank into the bath.

"I know," the psychic replied. "It seems our Kudo-kun is more than he appears."

* * *

"_Promise me I'll always have my dear brother at my side."_

"_I love you Kazahaya!"_

* * *

_**fin**_

**A/N: so yeah. Here's something that was running 'round in my head last weekend. I finished it last friday. I just got it back from my beta last night. Hope you enjoyed!**_  
_


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